The present invention is drawn to an isolation system for separating two fluid mediums from each other and, more particularly, an isolation system for prohibiting leakage of the fluid mediums around the peripheral surface of the piston movably mounted within a chamber.
Multi-piston air-oil pressure intensifiers providing two distinct pressure steps are known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,271,671, 4,300,351 and 4,993,226. Heretofore, the prior art pressure intensifiers, particularly air-oil pressure intensifiers, have suffered from a continuing problem dealing with leakage between the oil containing compartment and air compartments of the intensifier. As one of the mediums, oil, is substantially incompressible and the other medium, air, is readily compressible, leakage between and intermixing of the air and oil effects the efficiency of the air-oil pressure intensifier. Various mechanisms have been proposed for sealing the oil compartment of the air-oil pressure intensifier from the air compartments of same; however, to date known prior art systems have not proven to be entirely satisfactory.
Naturally, it would be highly desirable to provide a system in a multi-piston air-oil pressure intensifier for isolating the two fluid mediums (air and oil) from each other and to prohibit leakage of the fluid mediums around the peripheral surface of a piston of the pressure intensifier thereby eliminating any intermixing of the air and oil mediums.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an isolation system for separating two diverse fluid mediums from each other.
It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an isolation system as set forth above which prohibits leakage between and intermixing of two diverse fluid mediums.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an isolation system as aforesaid for prohibiting leakage of diverse fluid mediums around the peripheral surface of a piston movably mounted within a chamber.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an isolation system as aforesaid for prohibiting leakage between air and oil compartments of a multi-piston air-oil pressure intensifier.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear herein below.